I have to agree with Ros that soaks are not part of the protocol.  In
fact, if taken to the extreme--which some mothers will do--where the soaks
are applied for long periods of time, maceration can result.  Moist wound
healing the way Huml describes it and most of us apply it is with the use
of a semi-occulsive covering.  In the case of sore, open wound nipples,
anhydros medical grade lanolin (I'm a fan of L------) works great by
reducing pain due to air hiting nerve endings and speeding the healing
process two-fold.

If a mom does indeed have yeast, then the saline soaks may be helping to
kill off yeast.  Think about it...we add salt to bread to control the yeast
growth.  Salt in direct contact with yeast will retard or even kill it,
just as changing the pH through distilled white vinegar will do.

: )Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC  email: [log in to unmask]   : )
: )HSR & Health Educational Consultant        voice/fax: 541 753 7340    : )
: )LLLLLLLLLLLLL**CHANGE THE WORLD, NURTURE A CHILD!**LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL : )